𝘿𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙊𝙉, young justice

──── 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞.

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"PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T GO." the small blonde girl begged, watching as the elder raven-haired teenager bustled around the room, throwing clothes into a suitcase located on her bed. Sitting beside the younger, a creature not of this world watched the exchange, a dragon. Remaining silent as it glared coldly at the older of the two, with orange eyes as bright as fire.

     "Sorry, sis," the teen replied, just as coldly as the beast stared at her, "but mom's not getting out of prison anytime soon, and I refuse to live in this house with just dad."

     The smaller child spoke with such anguish, such pain. "Dad and you and and me," she insisted, stroking the creature that rested on the bed beside her. "We have to keep this family from falling apart."

     The older sister paused, looking over her shoulder at the younger girl who gently pet the dragon beside her.

     For a long moment, the creature thought the elder sister was considering the words of the younger, until she put a hand to her head and turned around. "Toothbrush. Knew I was forgetting something."

     Jaye, the dragon, bared its teeth as the elder sister moved toward the bathroom, then reemerged to add the last item to her duffel bag. The little blonde girl watched with such pain and sorrow. "Dad will come after you."

     "Let him," the elder responded, looking over at them with no expression in her dark eyes, before turning and putting on a black cap. "I'll disappear. Like the Cheshire cat." Then, she slung the bag over her shoulder and headed toward the door.

     The younger sister picked up the dragon and followed.

     "You should get out too," the raven-haired woman glanced at them again, standing in the doorway now. "I'd let you come with me, but you'd slow me down." Her gaze rested on the dragon for a long moment, nothing but utter hostility in her gaze.

     The child held Jaye close to her chest. "Someone has to be here when mom gets out."

     "Haven't you learned anything?" The eyes of the elder narrowed. "In this family, it's every girl for herself."

     And with that, she shut the door and disappeared, leaving the young girl and the dragon alone in the bedroom.

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